QnAs with John A. Rogers. Interview by Prashant Nair.

N ature is full of curves. So it is only natural that manmade devices meant to interact with nature emulate its elements of design. That is the line of reasoning behind the innovations of John Rogers, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a professor of materials science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Rogers’ innovations have inspired an array of approaches to render supple rigid surfaces found in electronic devices. From stretchable electronic sensors that can be slapped onto human skin like removable tattoos to digital cameras that mimic the retina to create pin-sharp images, Rogers has attempted to stretch the limits of engineering to bring creative solutions to common problems. In 2011, Rogers won the LemelsonMassachusetts Institute of Technology prize, a $500,000 award for inventions that improve the world. Here, Rogers explains his bioinspired design to PNAS.